Home Truck Driver Training Program

Truck Driver Training Program

 

Get on the road to a rewarding career!

View schedules and Register Now

Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC), in collaboration with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (CCC&TI), will soon offer a Truck Driver Training Program that gives students:

  • The training required to operate tractor-trailer rigs
  • The opportunity to get their commercial driver’s license (CDL)
  • The skills and knowledge to become professional truck drivers

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for qualified commercial truck drivers is expected to grow exponentially through 2022, due to the need for more Heavy and Tractor Trailer Truck Drivers. Like many businesses, small and large trucking companies are dealing with a great deal of drivers retiring and leaving the industry. Trucking companies actively seek quality student drivers right out of school.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates:

  • will have the opportunity to be employed by commercial trucking companies
  • can become an owner-operator of a tractor-trailer rig
  • can take advantage of local job opportunities

The Truck Driver Training program is certified by the Professional Truck Driving Institute (PTDI).

Important Dates

  • A mandatory orientation session for the Truck Driver Training course will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 10 a.m.
  • The official registration session for the truck driver training course will be held on Thursday, July 21, 2022 at 10 a.m.
  • Orientation and Registration will take place on the Main Campus in Henderson, in Building 9.
  • The first class meeting is Thursday, August 4, 2022 and runs through Friday October 7, 2022
  • CDL-A class is 9 weeks. Classes meet Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. unless otherwise posted
  • Classes end on October 7, 2022
  • Classes will consist of:
    • Classroom instruction
    • Range driving
    • Road driving

Admission Requirements

  • Must be at least 18 years old
  • Have a valid North Carolina driver’s license
  • Be able to read and speak English well enough to:
    • Take instructions from highway signs
    • Be able to converse with officials
    • Be able to complete the required reports
Complete List of Admission Requirements

Training at Vance-Granville Community College is provided through a partnership with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, CCC&TI.  CCC&TI started training drivers in 1990 with one truck and a few students. Today they have over 70 pieces of equipment and have graduated over 2,000 CDL drivers in the past 10 years. At present Vance-Granville Community College offers only full-time day classes requiring 9 weeks to complete.

You must:

  • Attend a mandatory orientation session: (See schedule and orientation dates)
  • Be at least 18 years old: Student graduates under 21 years old can drive only within North Carolina.
  • Hold a valid North Carolina Driver’s License with no limiting restrictions.
  • Be able to read and speak English well enough to take instructions from highway signs, to converse with officials, and complete the required reports. (FMCSR 391.11)
  • High school or college transcript 
  • Reading Placement Test with a minimum 8th grade reading level or better or present high school or GED® transcript showing graduation from high school or completion of GED® to register.
  • Acquire a North Carolina Class A permit with no limiting restrictions before the highway-driving portion of your training or no later than the 2nd week of class.
  • Pass a DOT physical and/or hold a valid (12 month minimum) DOT medical card. This should be completed by the 1st day of class. A current medical card is required to drive on the road.
  • Complete and Pass a DOT drug screen by the 1st day of class. Negative results are required to get onto a truck and remain in class. (Drug screen information included in packet.)
  • Show proof of permanent residency: All immigrants must have proper paperwork.

Due to the strict requirements and restrictions of most trucking companies you must also have:

  • A current Motor Vehicle Record with no convictions in the past 3 years of: DUI, refusal to take a chemical test, hit and run, leaving the scene of an accident, careless and reckless driving, a preventable accident, or speeding 15 mph over the limit.
  • No felony or major misdemeanor convictions in the past 5 years, based on completion of sentence.

Note: Meeting these requirements will not guarantee you a position as a driver after course completion. Each trucking company has their own list of requirements; some more strict than what’s listed above.

Cost/Tuition

The cost for tuition and fees for the class is $1,876.  This is well below the average cost for commercial truck driving schools.

Additional class dates for 2022 will be coming soon!

Summer/Fall 2022 Payment information:

  • This amount is payable at registration on July 21, 2022.
  • A payment plan is available:
    • At least $500.00 is due at registration on 7/21/2022
    • $688.00 is due by the first day of class: 8/4/2022
    • The final $688.00 is due by the 5th week of class September 6, 2022.
  • There are opportunities for scholarships to partially defray the costs of tuition and fees
  • Federal Financial Aid cannot cover the costs of the CDL-A program because it is a continuing education course.
  • Costs for the required DOT physical and drug screen, and NC Motor Vehicle Record, permit and license are additional.
  • The truck driver training program is approved by the WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) and the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Unemployed and underemployed individuals may qualify for tuition vouchers to participate in the course.   WIOA contact information is below:
    • WIOA Youth Program (ages 16-24) at Vance-Granville Community College: 252-738-3374 or edgertonb@vgcc.edu
    • WIOA Adult Program through NC Works: 919-693-2686 or 252-438-6129

Registration & More Info.

For more information about the Truck Driver Training Program, contact Kyle Burwell, Director of Occupational Extension, Vance-Granville Community College, 200 Community College Road, Henderson, NC  27537 (Bldg. 7, Room 7101-B) or at burwellk@vgcc.edu or 252-738-3276 or Gina Brewer at brewerg@vgcc.edu or 252-738-3324.

For a complete list of Vance-Granville Community College Occupational Extension Classes please visit our Occupational Extension Page .